This invention pertains to apparatus and methods for removing inflorescent tassels from plants, and more particularly pertains to an improvement in detasseling heads of the type having a tassel grasping nip formed by opposed rollers, and to an associated method whereby tassels are pulled off plants while blowing the leaves of the plant away from the rollers and thereby preventing engagement of the leaves by the nip.
Production of hybridized seed corn requires removal of the tassels from the parent plants to prevent self-fertilization of the ear buds thereon. Fertilization must be accomplished instead by growing pollen-producing plants of another variety of corn in alternate rows with the parent plants, or else a selected pollen can be deposited onto the parent plants by use of a suitable vehicle such as a dusting aircraft.
Tassels can be removed from corn plants by hand, and although it is a very thorough means of detasseling that inflicts minimum damage to the stalks and leaves, it is nonetheless quite time consuming and expensive. As a result, various mechanical devices have been developed for detasseling corn, most of which can be mounted on a suitable tractor and operated with a power take-off or hydraulically. Such detasseling apparatus can be generally classified as either cutter or puller types, depending on whether they cut or pinch the tassels from the stalks, or grasp the tassels and pull them off by tugging them upwardly and longitudinally in relation to the stalks. Cutter-type devices effect detasseling in a relatively quick and thorough fashion, but are more inclined than pullers to damage the stalks and leaves of the plants. Such damage stunts growth and reduces the yield of corn, and is thus an objectionable feature of cutter-type detasselers. Puller-types are less damaging since they have the ability to grasp the tassel and pull it upward until it snaps off, hence eliminating any stalk-shattering effect. However, the puller must obtain a secure grip on the tassel in order to separate it from the stalk, and measures must be taken to prevent grasping of leaves as well as tassels lest the leaves be damaged or torn off the plant. Therefore, prior puller-type detasselers have included means for protecting the leaves such as guard bars, depressor drums and jetted streams of air.
Although mechancial tassel pullers have become popular, they have not always provided satisfactory results for a number of reasons. Prior difficulties have included failure of the puller to grasp some of the tassels tightly enough to effect full separation from the stalk, and leaf damage has occured despite the use of guards or depressors. Prior use of jetted air streams to depress, and thus protect, leaves during detasseling operations has involved use of blowers and associated ducting which are not only costly, but also difficult to install and troublesome to maintain.